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RJ Up A Tree

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RJ Up A Tree

Postby Swede » 08 12, 2020 •  [Post 1]

RJ has informed us he and his partner will try out tree stand hunting some this season. I can assure you there are some good locations to hang a stand in his hunting area. There are two good locations fairly close so he and his friend can be within easy commuting distance of one another. Elk are fairly abundant, but it is no shooting gallery.
So here is my question: Will one or both of them get a bull from a stand? What is your guess?

My thought is that both will if they stay with it to the end. They need to go high up in their trees and get in ones where they are not sticking out like a sore thumb. They need to be conscience of the morning and evening thermals.
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Re: RJ Up A Tree

Postby 7mmfan » 08 12, 2020 •  [Post 2]

At the first bugle, they'll be on the ground giving chase.
I hunt therefore I am. I fish therefore I lie.
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Re: RJ Up A Tree

Postby Tigger » 08 13, 2020 •  [Post 3]

No, they will not get one from the stand. But they will go chase a bugle and get one by calling it in to 3 yards. The bull will be rip-roaring mad and have snot blowing out his nose when he bugles at RJ from spitting distance. The grip and grin will reveal that RJ peed in his pants when it was that close, but he recovered enough to make the shot.

Is that specific enough?
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Re: RJ Up A Tree

Postby WapitiTalk1 » 08 13, 2020 •  [Post 4]

Ha, ya we'll see how this shakes out. We prepped four sites a few weekends ago on our scouting trip. Two of the four are on wallows that get hit pretty hard in August, and, have shown decent travel usage during September from observations during previous years. One of the sites prepped is in a rare, small clearing in the alder jungle at a very small, head end of a creek crossing with several intersecting trails. The fourth site is on a small opening on a semi-flat spot on a ridge that runs between feed/bed (Mr. Swede shot an elk out of this very stand site a few years back). All have their pros/cons but will see if any of them pan out during the 2020 season. Not sure how my buddy and I will rotate the TS'ing into our hunts as we both have an addiction/affinity/sickness for hole diving for singers. I'm guessing that we'll do some "sits" in between our 2-3 day backcountry jaunts. I will say that as I get a bit longer in the tooth (and continue to battle a few health issues), I'm liking the idea of doing less deep hole diving and a bit more of the TS hunting method.

My bold prediction? I'm guessing that a bull will fall to the TS method this year and perhaps one will fall in a ridiculous deep, dark hole. Oh yah, in addition to our elk tags.....I have a deer tag and Joe has a bear tag this year so who knows what may happen ;)
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Re: RJ Up A Tree

Postby Lefty » 08 13, 2020 •  [Post 5]

Tree stand hunting is an old mans sport.


Im actually setting out trail cams on a trails, two will have tree stands for the days I'll be to tired or lazy to chase around the hills.

Swede Ill be requesting and autographed book
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Re: RJ Up A Tree

Postby Swede » 08 14, 2020 •  [Post 6]

You will have a book out in the mail today. Thanks
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Re: RJ Up A Tree

Postby Elkhunttoo » 08 14, 2020 •  [Post 7]

In my old area my brother and I would call in the morning and then sit water in the evenings. Shot 2 bulls sitting. 0 calling although my brother did shoot over a good 6 point calling.

3 total years. 1 year just calling. 2 years calling and sitting. 6 total tags available. Only 10 total days hunted (3 days, 3 days, and 4 days the last year)

2 Bulls killed both by sitting and they were killed on day 1 the second year and day 1 on the third year.

1 bull shot from a ground blind and one shot from a tree stand.

I shot the one from the stand. I had heard nothing and seen nothing that evening and so at 6:00pm I let 2 soft mews, waited a minute and then 3 more. Never made another sound and shot the bull at 6:27 if I remember right. Not sure If it was the calls or he was just coming in.

Sitting can be super effective. I’m excited to see how you do.
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Re: RJ Up A Tree

Postby Swede » 08 15, 2020 •  [Post 8]

Elkhunt, you called just right. Make a call or two then go quiet. I have noticed it often takes over an hour for the elk to come in. I think they are curious and want to check out what made the sound. I have observed that they will come close and hang up just like any other calling setup unless you are careful where you call from. I am satisfied you called that animal in.
Never answer a bull that calls first fairly close (up to 300 yards) to your stand. They will sometimes call before they come to water. They are checking to see if another animal is there. If they get an answer, they turn and go somewhere else. It took me awhile, and some mistakes to figure that out.
I do not know why, but it does not seem to matter that you are up a tree when you call. They can pinpoint a caller on the ground, but do not seem to notice that the elk they heard is up 25 feet up off the ground. Go figure.
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Re: RJ Up A Tree

Postby Elkhunttoo » 08 15, 2020 •  [Post 9]

Thanks for the information Swede. I will let the rest of the group I’m hunting with know that too.
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